Valley broadcasters work to meet deadline

September 22, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — The Mahoning Valley’s commercial television broadcasters are preparing for the digital conversion and will flip the switch with the rest of the country Feb. 17.

John Grdic, general manager of WFMJ-21 and its digital CW affiliate WBCB, said his station will go all-digital on the federally mandated conversion date. The station, which has been broadcasting in digital for years, continues to make upgrades in preparation for the changeover. “We’re still installing equipment,” he said. “It’s an ongoing process.” Grdic pointed out that remote news vehicles also have to be retrofitted for digital transmission.

David Coy, general manager of WKBN-TV 27 and WYTV-TV 33, said the stations are also in the process of converting their signals. The stations also operate digital channels WYFX-17/62 (Fox) and MyYTV.

There are 276,600 households with television sets in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Mercer counties, and 17,197 do not have cable or satellite. It’s impossible to say how many have already purchased set-top converter boxes, said Grdic, although he believes the number currently stands at about 8,500. The inexactness is compounded by the fact that many households that do have cable have additional sets that aren’t hooked up.